Afton (town), New York

Geobox Settlement
name = Afton
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category = Town


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flag_size =
symbol =
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nickname =
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motto =
country = United States
state = New York
region_type = County
region = Chenango County
district_type =
district =
area_imperial = 46.5
area_land_imperial = 45.9
area_water_imperial = 0.6
area_water_percentage = auto
area_percentage_round = 2
area_round = 1
location =
lat_d = 42
lat_m = 13
lat_s = 44
lat_NS = N
long_d = 75
long_m = 31
long_s = 33
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 989
elevation_round = 1
population_as_of = 2000
population = 2977
population_density_imperial = 65
population_density_round = 1
established_type = Incorporated
established = 1857
leader = Robert D Briggs "(2006)"
leader_type = Supervisor
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
postal_code = 13730
postal_code_type = ZIP code
area_code = 607
area_code_type =
code2_type =
code2 =
free_type =
free =
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free1 =


map_caption =
map1 = New York Locator Map.png map1_caption = Location of Afton in New York
map1_locator = New York
map2 = Map of USA NY.svg
map2_caption = Location of New York in the United States
website =

Afton is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census [ [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US36&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-format=ST-7 New York by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-PH1. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000 ] ] . Afton is situated on the south-east corner of the county and lies wholly within the original township of Clinton. It was formed from Bainbridge November 18, 1857, and derives its name from Afton Water a small river in Ayrshire, England, immortalized by the Scottish poet Burns. It is bounded on the north by Bainbridge and Coventry, on the east by Delaware county, on the west and south by Broome county.

The Town of Afton contains a village, also called Afton. The town is at the southeast corner of the county and is northeast of Binghamton.

History

The town was first settled around 1786. The Town of Afton was founded from part of the Town of Bainbridge in 1857.

Bainbridge and Afton were once combined as one town called Jericho. A particularly severe winter storm left residents starving or freezing to death from lack of supplies in the area which is now known as Afton. The cold and snow had been so severe, the townspeople of what is now Bainbridge refused to help. When spring came, hard feelings were had by the rural residents, and the town of Jericho split into two. Afton was named from a line in a poem cherished by the town, and also named with an "A" because it came first alphabetically Fact|date=August 2007, so that it came before "Bainbridge" on state registers. Afton was once called "Clinton" after General George Clinton, and was jokingly called "Jockey Port" due to the horse race way in Afton.

Afton was also a stop on the underground railroad for slaves migrating from the south to the north. Some houses in Afton are found to have secret rooms and staircases, as in a house on Pleasant Avenue.

Former residents of note

*William H. Bissell, governor of Illinois.
*Hayes, Carlton Joseph Huntley, U.S. ambassador to Spain from May, 1942, to March, 1945 [ [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ha/Hayes-Ca.html Columbia Encyclopedia] ]
*Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement also know as Mormonism.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 46.5 square miles (120.5 km²), of which, 45.9 square miles (118.9 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (1.29%) is water.

Interstate 88 and the Susquehanna River pass through the town. New York State Route 7 intersects New York State Route 41 at Afton village.

The west and south town lines are the border of Broome County, and the east town line is the border of Delaware County.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,977 people, 1,186 households, and 829 families residing in the town. The population density was 64.8 people per square mile (25.0/km²). There were 1,404 housing units at an average density of 30.6/sq mi (11.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.66% White, 0.27% Black or African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 1,186 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $33,730, and the median income for a family was $40,122. Males had a median income of $30,656 versus $25,247 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,239. About 7.3% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Afton

*Afton -- The Village of Afton is located on NY Route 7 near the center of the town and by the Susquehanna River.
*Bettsburg -- A hamlet near the south town line on NY-41. It is named after Peter Betts, a local merchant.
*East Afton -- A hamlet in the southeast corner of the town.
*Middle Bridge -- A hamlet northeast of Afton village, located on County Road 39 on the south side of the Susquehanna River.
*Nineveh -- A hamlet at the town line on NY-7.
*Nineveh Junction -- A hamlet in the southwest part of the town.
*North Afton -- A hamlet near the north town line and north of Afton village on NY Route 41. It became an incorporated village in 1829, was dissolved and re-incorporated in 1833, and later abandoned its status as a village. North Afton was formerly called "Ayrshire."

References

External links

* [http://www.townofafton.com/ Official Afton website]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/ny/afton-ny.htm Early Afton history]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~nychenan/aftontwp.htm Afton historical information]
* [http://www.afton.stier.org/ Afton Central School]